The Order of the Red Eagle (German: Roter Adlerorden) was an order of chivalry of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was awarded to both military personnel and civilians, to recognize valor in combat, excellence in military leadership, long and faithful service to the kingdom, or other achievements. As with most German (and most other European) orders, the Order of the Red Eagle could only be awarded to commissioned officers or civilians of approximately equivalent status. However, there was a medal of the order, which could be awarded to non-commissioned officers and enlisted men, lower ranking civil servants and other civilians.

The predecessor to Order of the Red Eagle was founded on November 17, 1705, by the MargraveGeorg Wilhelm of Brandenburg-Bayreuth as the Ordre de la Sincerité. This soon fell into disuse but was revived in 1712 in Brandenburg-Bayreuth and again in 1734 in Brandenburg-Ansbach, where it first received the name "Order of the Brandenburg Red Eagle". The statutes were changed in 1777 and the Order named therein as the "Order of the Red Eagle". The Order was conferred in one class, limited to fifty knights.[1]

In 1810, King Frederick William III revised the statutes of the Order, expanding it into three classes. In 1830, a breast star was authorized for the Second Class and the First Class General Honor Decoration became the Fourth Class of the Order.[1] The statutes were further revised in 1861, and a Grand Cross was established as the highest class of the Order. By change to the statutes of the Order of the Black Eagle, every member of that order was automatically invested with the new Grand Cross of the Order of the Red Eagle, as well as with the Order of the Prussian Crown. By 1918, an affiliated soldier's medal had been made available to commoners and enlisted men.

The monarchy collapsed on November 9, 1918. Though Wilhelm II formally abdicated his personal claims to the throne on November 28, 1918, he admonished his former subjects to "render assistance to those in actual power" until the "re-establishment of order in the German Empire" (1923 Source Records of the Great War, Vol. VI, edited by Charles F. Horne). A new German constitution was signed into law, August 11, 1919, effectually putting a legal end to the monarchy. All orders and decorations formally conferred by the monarchy ceased to exist, but recipients of the Order of the Red Eagle continued to wear it with their other decorations during the eras of the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, and the restored republic.

Grand Cross - enameled Maltese cross badge worn on a collar (the Kette, or "chain") on ceremonial occasions or, on other formal occasions, dependent from the bow of a sash worn over the right shoulder; plus a gilt, eight-pointed breast star worn on the left chest; typically awarded to male members of the royal family, to members of the Order of the Black Eagle, to noblemen, and to foreign royalty

1st Class - oversized, enameled cross pattée badge worn, suspended form ribbon about the neck, on a sash on the right shoulder, plus a silver, eight-pointed breast star on the left chest; available to general officers, high nobility, and heads of foreign state

2nd Class - enameled cross pattée badge worn on a neck ribbon, plus a silver, four-pointed breast star on the left chest; available to general officers and nobility

3rd Class - enameled cross pattée badge worn on a ribbon on the left chest; available to (usually no lower than) field grade officers and minor nobility

4th Class - non-enameled cross pattée badge worn on a ribbon on the left chest; available to company grade officers

Medal - round gilt medal worn on a ribbon on the left chest; available to enlisted men

Within these six classes, however, were a bewildering array of variations. Among these were:

All classes but the Medal of the Red Eagle Order could be awarded with swords for distinction in wartime. The swords passed through the arms of the cross behind the center medallion.

All classes above the 4th Class could be awarded with "Swords on Ring", indicating that the recipient of that class without swords had earlier received a lower class of the order with swords. A pair of crossed swords were worn above the cross on the suspension ring or above the medallion on the upper arm of the breast star.

All classes could be awarded with or without crown as an added distinction.

The Grand Cross, 1st and 2nd Class could be awarded with oak leaves, indicating prior receipt of the next lower class of the order, and/or with diamonds, as a special distinction.

Royal family members (who were automatically awarded the Grand Cross of the Red Eagle Order, per statute of the Order of the Black Eagle) were awarded the Grand Cross "with crown." The Maltese cross badge was suspended from a miniature of the Prussian crown, which covered the usual suspension ring.

The Grand Cross was awarded at least once with crossed marshals' batons, as was awarded to Paul von Hindenburg. The crossed batons were worn above the Maltese cross badge of the Grand Cross, on its suspension ring.

The 3rd Class could be awarded with bow (Schleife), indicating prior receipt of the 4th Class.

Prussians who were Knights of the Order of St. John of Malta who received the Order of the Red Eagle and who had cared for sick and wounded soldiers in the German wars of unification received the order with a miniature of the badge of the Order of St. John of Malta.

For 50 years of service, a Red Eagle recipient received the "Jubilee Number" (Jubiläumszahl), a round medallion with the number "50" on it, affixed to the suspension ring or to the oak leaves or the ring of the bow, if applicable.

There were also a set of special versions, the Stars 1st through 4th Class, for non-Christians.

The badge of the Order for the Grand Cross was a gold (gilt after 1916) Maltese Cross enameled in white, with red enameled eagles between the arms of the cross; the gold central disc bore the Royal monogram, surrounded by a blue enameled ring bearing the motto of the Order, Sincere et Constante.

The badge for the 1st to 3rd classes was a gold (gilt after 1916) cross pattée, enameled in white; that for the 4th class was similar but with smooth, plain silver arms. After 1879 the silver arms of the 4th class cross were pebbled in texture and appearance. The central disc bore the red eagle on a white enamel background on the obverse, with the royal cipher of King Friedrich Wilhelm surmounted by the Prussian crown on the reverse. The enlisted man's medal was of a relatively simple, round design, topped with the Prussian crown, with a depiction of the regular badge in the center of the medal on the obverse, with the royal cipher of the reigning monarch on the reverse.

The breast star of the Order was (for the Grand Cross) a golden eight-pointed star, (for 1st Class) a silver eight-pointed star, or (for 2nd Class) a silver four-pointed star with a white enameled cross pattée, all with straight rays. The central disc bore the red eagle on a white enamel background, surrounded by a ring (enameled blue for Grand Cross, white for the others) bearing the motto of the Order, Sincere et Constanter.

After 16 September 1848, awards of all classes (except the medal) bestowed for military merit had two golden swords crossed through the central medallion.

The traditional ribbon of the Order was white with two orange stripes at the edges, but combat awards were frequently conferred with a black and white ribbon similar to that of the Iron Cross. Numerous variations of the ribbon existed, depending on the nature of the specific award.

The following lists show a fair cross section of individuals who were known to be conferred with the Order in its several classes, in order of precedence. The Order of the Red Eagle was conferred frequently upon foreign nationals, both royal and non-royal, to honor their individual position or work and to further the diplomatic relations with their respective nations, in much that same way the Most Excellent and Honorable Order of Bath is still conferred, by the monarchy in Great Britain. The following is only a partial list and may expand over time, with further research.

GFM Albrecht Theodore Emil, Graf von Roon (1803–1879) – previous 3rd Class Knight, automatically awarded the Grand Cross in conjunction with being awarded with the Order of the Black Eagle, ca 1866, for service during the war with Austria, immediately after his success at the battle of Nikolsburg.

Mohammed Essad Safvet-Effendi, Turkish Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, awarded the 2nd Class (for non-Christians), September 14, 1855

Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe of Great Britain (1859–1935), awarded the Order, 2nd Class, with swords, for actions in China during the Boxer Rebellion, where he served as a captain.

John Schroers, Chairman of Education and the Educational Congresses, and later Director of the St. Louis World's Fair, 1904–1906; awarded the 3rd Class, Feb 23, 1905, for work with the St. Louis World's Fair

Oberstleutnant von Estorff, awarded the 3rd Class with Crown and Swords for actions in South West Africa, 1905

Howard J. Rogers, Chief of the Department of Education & Social Economics, involved with St. Louis Exhibition (1906); awarded the 3rd Class, Jan. 12, 1906, for work with the St. Louis World's Fair

Rittmeister (cavalry Captain) Manfred Albrecht Frhr von Richthofen (1892–1918)also known as "The Red Baron", awarded the 3rd Class, with Crown & Swords, for earning an unprecedented 70th aerial victory as Germany's top fighter ace of the Great War, April 6, 1918. This was one of only two such awards during the Great War for someone of company grade rank.

Rittmeister Richard Franz Joseph Haegele, awarded the 4th Class, 10/21/1901, for service as commander of the East Asian Field Bakery in the Prussian Army; Later awarded the 4th Class with Swords, for actions in South West Africa (modern day Namibia)

Frederick Winslow Taylor (1856–1915), mechanical engineer; President of the American Society of mechanical Engineers, who is credited for innovations in management principles; awarded the 4th Class, Jan. 12, 1906, for work with St. Louis World's Fair

Tarleton Hoffman Bean (1846–1916), first Curator of Fishes at the Smithsonian Institution; Director of the Forestry and Fisheries exhibit at the Paris Exhibition, 1900; Chief of the Departments of Fish, Game and Forestry, St. Louis World's Fair, 1902–05; awarded the 4th Class, Jan 12, 1906, for work with the St. Louis World's Fair

Joseph Austin Holmes (1859–1915), geologist, and first director of the Bureau of Mines, credited with advances in mine safety, and for the slogan "Safety First"; Chief of Mines and Metallurgy at the St. Louis World's Fair, 1904–1906; awarded the 4th Class, Jan 12, 1906, for work with the St. Louis World's Fair